


Thin

by Kr1411



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Barry, M/M, My sad child, implied eating disorder, or maybe not, probably EDNOS, sad!Barry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 13:15:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14261772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kr1411/pseuds/Kr1411
Summary: "Barry, you look thinner. I don't like it."Barry has always felt insecure, but ever since he and Oliver started dating, he couldn't help but feel even more insecure.





	Thin

**Author's Note:**

> This is so rushed, I'm so sorry. It's late

“Barry, you look thinner. I don’t like it.”

Oliver and Barry have been dating for about three months, and ever since the team found out, Barry has been feeling more insecure. Since they started dating, Barry knew Oliver would be the “alpha” of their relationship. When they came out, however, it became quite obvious everyone else thought that too. 

Barry had always been insecure about his body. He had always been less muscular than the other boys, and more lanky then the other men. It never really was a problem until he grew up. 

When Barry got struck by lightning, it was like everything had changed. His muscles became stronger, and he actually had  _ abs! _ It was great!

Until he saw Oliver for the first time after he woke up. 

Oliver was fucking  _ ripped _ . His muscles filled up his shirt, and he was so buff, Barry probably would never wear a t-shirt or anything around the man. He’s like five times smaller than the older vigilante. 

Outside of flash work, Barry started working out without Caitlin’s knowledge. He stopped eating anything too filling, in case he suddenly lost his newfound abs. He would eat things like vegetables, and occasionally some type of meat, but he couldn’t eat too much incase he lost all of his muscle. 

After that, Oliver apparently saw something in Barry that Barry didn’t see in himself, because soon enough the man was confessing his love for Barry. Naturally, Barry panicked, how could Oliver love him, but eventually, he confessed the same thing. 

For a month, the two secretly dated, and Barry was both content and insecure about that. He was content because people wouldn’t assume Oliver was the top (which he was, but still) and “the man of the relationship” (which later, one of the homophobic detectives who found out told him - he got punched by Joe, which resulted in a concussion). He was insecure, because what if Oliver didn’t want anyone to know because he was embarrassed to have Barry as a boyfriend? Or embarrassed to have anyone know he was gay - or bi - in the first place? What if he was just ashamed to have someone as weak and pathetic as Barry in the first place?

When they came out, the team was completely accepting. Cisco and Iris made a bet on whether they were dating or not, as did Thea and Diggle. Thea and Iris owed Cisco and Diggle $30 in the end. (“Best friends always know, amirite?” “Shut up Cisco.”)

The only reason anyone at the precinct knew was because Detective Harvey walked in on Barry and Oliver kissing in the lab. Everyone knew they had to knock before entering the lab, but there was always an ignorant soul somewhere. 

Detective Harvey was the one who would make jibes about Oliver and Barry’s relationship. He would always compare Barry to Oliver, and talk about how much “thinner” and “younger” Barry was compared to Oliver. Barry never told Oliver any of this, but he did adjust his diet and workout plan. 

Month two was when the couple moved in together. Due to Oliver’s work and Barry’s superspeed, they decided they could move to Star City, and Barry could run to work every day. He’d just have to wake up about two minutes earlier. 

Barry would always look in the mirror, to see if he was improving when it came to his body. 

He wasn’t. 

His muscles, if anything, seemed to be getting smaller. It didn’t make sense! He was eating healthy, he worked out  _ as well _ as ran around the whole city on a regular basis! Why wasn’t he getting any type of stronger?

Month three was when you no longer had to look intensely at Barry to notice something was wrong. That’s how Oliver discovered something wasn’t right, at least.

“Barry, you look thinner, I don’t like it.”

Barry was innocently working on a case, and Oliver had interrupted his train of thought. 

Letting out a frustrated groan, Barry turned around to look at his boyfriend. “What do you mean?” he asked, clearly not in the mood to talk. 

“Your shirts hang loosely on you. Your frame isn’t as filled as it was before. You don’t look healthy, and it concerns me, Barry,” Oliver said, pulling up a seat next to his boyfriend. 

“Ollie, you’re supposed to love me no matter what I look like,” Barry said, completely missing what Oliver meant. 

“Barry, that’s not what I meant. Ever since we started living together, and maybe even before that, you haven’t been eating as much as you should with your metabolism. Not to mention how much you-”

“What are you, my doctor? I’m  _ fine _ , Oliver,” Barry said harshly, cutting off Oliver. “I’m sorry my body isn’t  _ perfect _ like yours, Oliver, but your supposed to support and love me no matter what.” 

“Is that what this is about? Looking like me?” Oliver asked, in a harsh tone. “Barry, I love you no matter what, and it actually hurts that you think I wouldn’t love you because of what you look like. But you’re not  _ healthy, _ Barry, anyone who has an eye can see that. I just want to help you -”

“Help me what, Oliver? Look more like the perfect boyfriend? I’m sorry, but I can’t look  _ perfect _ like you want me to be,” Barry said, standing up roughly. 

This was it. Barry’s gone insane, Oliver couldn’t get a word in because his boyfriend wouldn’t listen. 

“Barry, please calm down,” Oliver asked, calmly, and a tear fell down Barry’s face. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, before more tears fell down his face. Oliver pulled him into a hug, and whispered, “Shh… you’re ok, Barry, you have nothing to be sorry for…”

“I’m sorry I can’t be perfect,” Barry said, yet again ignoring what Oliver said. “I’m sorry for wanting to be better, when I can’t. I’m sorry for making you worried.”

Oliver placed his head on Barry’s. “It’s ok, Barry. We’ll get through it together, just let me in,” he said, before slightly pushing Barry back to look in his eyes. “You are perfect to me, no matter what. Never,  _ ever _ think I don’t love you, or think you’re perfect, because I love you more than  you could ever imagine. But, please, Barry, don’t do anything to hurt yourself,” Oliver finished, and Barry went back into the hug. 

“I’m sorry…” he mumbled again, with his face buried in Oliver’s chest. Oliver ran his hand up and down Barry’s back. 

The two just stood there in silence, for what felt like ages. Finally, after about five minutes, Oliver broke the silence by saying, “I want you to tell me whenever you feel insecure. We can go through this together, as long as you let me help you, alright Barr?”

Barry nodded, and let go of Oliver. “Alright,” he said quietly, and that was that. Barry was tired, and Oliver had never felt more protective over Barry. 

It would take a while, but eventually, Barry would get better. As long as they had each other, nothing could stop them. 

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: If you have a hatred for me, or don't like me in some way, and we've talked before, please tell me rather than ignore me or treat me coldly. Sure I'll hate myself even more, but I'd much rather know the truth than make up some scenario in my head involving everything that could've gone wrong.


End file.
